Great Wickedness!

Genesis 6

Great Wickedness!

By the time we reach Genesis 6, the awful effects of the Fall (in Genesis 3) have increased to the point where "the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5 ESV). By the way, this is the world in which we currently live. No wonder it can become such a mess and a misery at times. And it's not God's fault. This is not what He willed. See Genesis 1-2 for a picture of the world as God wills it to be.

One illustration of humanities great wickedness is given in verses 1-4. It contains a pattern of sin that is similar to the pattern of sin first seen in Genesis 3:6, where Eve saw, delighted in and took what God had forbidden. In Genesis 6:2 (ESV) we read of how "the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose." It is not clear who these "sons of God" and "daughters of man" were, but it seems that these "sons of God" were taking any women that they wanted. This exploitation of women (who, by inference from this text, should not be taken or forced into marriage against their wills) was seen by God as so bad that He speaks of withdrawing His Spirit from mortal man (v3). Here we see Scripture revealing a very high view of women and challenging to accepted Ancient Near Eastern attitudes.

In His sorrow and heartfelt grief at sin (v6), the Lord speaks of "blotting out" the creatures He has made (v7), except for the one obedient man (v22), Noah, who "found favor in the eyes of the Lord" (v8) and who, like believing Enoch (Genesis 5:22-24), "walked with God" (v9).


Whether the flood was global or local, what is clear is that it was universal in relation to the judgment on humanity (v11-13, 17). Only Noah and his family and a certain number of animals would be saved though the construction of an ark (v14-22). This message of judgment and salvation becomes a foundational theme of the Bible, and entering the ark becomes a picture of believing into Jesus Christ for salvation from the judgment on sin (1 Peter 3:18-21).